Merry meet, all!

I had the best weekend that I have had in a long time.  It started Friday night, with the start of my 20-year high school reunuion.  I met my classmates at the football field, and from there we, of course, went to a local bar for a meet-and-greet drink night.  I re-connected with a lot of my classmates and generally had a good night.  The next night, Saturday, was the reunion dinner itself, which allowed me to reconnect with even more old friends, including one of my first "girl friends" from way back in junior high!  It was fantastic seeing everyone again, and a large group of us are tring to make it a more often experience for those who live nearby.

Saturday morning, before the dinner, was just as good.  Every year a local coven hosts the New York Witches festival, and this year I was finally able to attend.  The energy level was high, and I would have enjoyed just walking around and looking at stuff and talking with everyone.  But, as luck would have it, this year I had money to spend!  I met and spoke with Raven Grimassi, and even got him to sign two books of his that I had bought to add to my collection.  One book, his newest, is all about creating your own Wiccan tradition while staying true to the roots of the religion.  I have only read the preface, intro, and first chapter, but I am already impressed with the book.  I recommend it to everyone, not just those looking to create their own path.

I also bought a new tarot deck.  Unfortunately, it was a cast off from someone, so it only includes the acrds, no book or even LWB.  It is a deck I have been wanting for a while now, however, so I will just have to find the book somewhere else.  For those interested, it is the Shapeshifter Tarot, and if you have an extra copy of the book, or could copy it and I will pay you for it, I would be much appreciated. (LOL).

Other purchases of the day include more books, a labyrith necklace charm, a wolf-shaped cloak clasp, and some cds to accompany a pair of oracle decks that I have.  Overall I consider it $200+ well spent.  I can't wait for next year's fair.  I might even get a reading done by one of the dozen-or-so tarot readers and psychics that set up shop for the day.  And I even might attend a class or two, and speak to other authors that are there. 

So, after being re-vitatized by this weekend I am prepared for just about anything.  I may even start giving Tarot readings "professionally" again after 10+years.  And how was your week?

 

Well, this weekend is my 20th high school reunion.  I am both looking forward to it, and fearing it.  I am certainly not where I expexted to be when I graduated high school.  Back then I had dreams of being a teacher, and maybe even being a published writer.  The reality is that I am a barely-over minimum wage security guard, soon to be divorced, and living on the charity of family who provide me with a pull-out sofa in the family room for $200 a month.  Not the most glamourous of places to be in.  At least I have food and a roof over my head, but still, when I think back to those lost dreams of my halycon youth....

Never Again

You said that you'ld protect me

That you'ld love me forever.

Forever lasted a year.

You weren't the first

But you would be my last

I won't let it happen again.

Never again.

Never again would I get hurt

Never again would I cry.

From the day that you left

I promised myself

That it wouldn't happen again.

Never again.

Recently, on my FAcebook page, I recieved an invite to join a group on the site dedicated to my high school class' 20th reunion.  I joined up, figuring that it was a way to get information about my class.  My only trepidation was based on the fact that the people from my school who were on Facebook were not people that I had been friends with in my teens.  I knew them since my graduating class only had about 200 kids in it, but I could probably count the number of times I spoke with them on one hand.

Imagine my surprise, once I posted a small greeting to the site, when I started recieving messages from most of the class members.  And it wasn't a standard welcome to the group message.  Most were surprised to hear from me, but wer equally happy to know that I was still around.  Many even said that they had been wondering what I had been up to in the intervening years, and were looking forward to seeing me again.  Perhaps I need to rethink my high school years.  Maybe they wern't the "suck-fest" that I remeber.

So, to those of you who might be facing a reunion, or who will have one in the future, I am here to say "Go to it".  You may just be plesently surprised at the results.

It seems that every time I tell someone that I read and collect Tarot cards, the first question they have (after "Can you read for me?") is "SO, what decks do you own/use?".  In order to help out with this question, I have compiled the following list.  It is as complete as I can currently make it, and does not include the books on Tarot that pepper my collection.  That is a post for another day.

 

Tarot Card and Oracle Inventory

Updated June 15, 2008

Count - 43 decks

 

1JJ Swiss Tarot by Stuart R. Kaplan, art unknown (AGMuller) - my first deck

Animation Tarot created by Piers Anthony, text by Jared (x2)

Aquarian Tarot art by David Palladini, text unknown (Morgan Press, Inc)

Arthurian Tarot by Caitlin & John Matthews, art by Miranda Gray (Aquarian)

Barbara Walker Tarot art and text by Barbara Walker (AGMuller)

Baseball Tarot by Mark Lerner & Laura Philips, art by Dan Gardiner (Workman)

Celtic Book of the Dead by Caitlin Matthews, art by Danuta Mayer (St. Martin's Press)

Celtic Totem Animals by John Matthews, art by Francis Wilson (Red Wheel)

Celtic Wisdom Sticks by Caitlin Matthews (Connections) - an ogam (tree) oracle

Cosmic Tribe Tarot art by Stevee Postman, text by Eric Ganther (Destiny Books)

Da Vinci Enigma Tarot by Caitlin Matthews, art by Leonardo (St. Martin's Press) -

            based on artwork of Leonardo Da Vinci

Druid Animal Oracle by Philip & Stephanie Carr-Gomm, art by Bill Worthington

(Fireside)

Egyptian Tarot by Comte Saint-Germain, art unknown (AGMuller) - no book

Grail Tarot by John Matthews, art by Giovanni Caselli (St. Martin's Press)

Hanson-Roberts Tarot by Mary Hanson-Roberts, art by Mary Hanson-Roberts (unknown)

 -mini deck

I-Ching Cards , author unknown (AGMuller for U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

Llewellyn Tarot text and art by Anne-Marie Ferguson (Llewellyn) - Welsh myths

Lord of the Rings Oracle by Terry Donaldson, art by Alice Englander (Godsfield)

Mage the Ascension Tarot by Nicky Rea & Jackie Cassada, art by John Cobb, Larry

 MacDougall, Alex Sheikman, Dan Smith, Lawrence Snelly & Joshua Gabriel

 Timbrook (White Wolf) - based on game

Manga Tarot art by Selena Lin, text by Gilly Smith (St. Martin's)

Medicine Cards by Jaime Sams & David Carson, art by Angela C. Werneke (Bear &

 Company) - Native American animals

Medicine Woman Tarot by Carol Bridges, art unknown (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

Merlin Tarot by R.J. Stewart, art by Miranda Gray (Aquarian Press) - no book

Mythic Tarot by Juliet Sharman-Burke & Liz Greene, art by Tricia Newell (Fireside) -

            Greek and Roman myths

Native American Tarot by Magda Weck Gonzalez, art by J.A. Gonzalez (U.S. Games

 Systems, Inc.)

Pagan Tarot by Gina Pace, art by Luca Raimondo and Cristiano Spadoni (Lo Scarabeo)

Prediction Tarot by Bridget Reed, art by Colin Howard (Top That!)

Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot based on deck by Arthur Waite, art based on Pamela Colman

 Smith (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

Robin Wood Tarot by Robin Wood, art by Robin Wood (Llewellyn)

Rune Oracle by Silver Ravenwolf, art by Nigel Jackson (Llewellyn)

Runic Tarot by John Astrop, art by Caroline Smith (St. Martin's Griffin) - oracle, not tarot

Secret Tarot by Jane Lyle, art by Helen Jones (Simon & Shuster) - orig. Renaissance

 Tarot

Tarocco Di Marsiglia by unknown (collectors deck #608 of 2000) - medieval woodcuts

Tarot of the New Vision by Pietro Alligo, art by Raul & Gianluca Cestaro (Lo Scarabeo)

Tarot of the Old Path by Howard Rodway, art by Sylvia Gainsford (Urania Verlags AG)

 - Wiccan Traditions

Thoth Tarot by Aleister Crowley, art by Lady Frieda Harris (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.) -

 large and small sizes

True Love Tarot by Monte Farber, art by Amy Zerner (St. Martin's Press) (x3, 2 new)

Unicorn Tarot by Suzanne Star, art by Liz Hilton (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

Vertigo Tarot by Rachael Pollack, art by Dave McKean (DC Comics, Inc.)

Well Worn Path, Hidden Path by Raven Grimassi & Stephanie Taylor, art by Mickie

 Mueller (Llewellyn) - two part oracle based on Wiccan & Pagan traditions

Witches Tarot by Ellen Cannon Reed, art by Martin Cannon (Lewellyn) (x2 -one missing

 card)

Wonderland Tarot by Christopher & Morgna Abbey, art by Morgana Abbey (U.S. Games

 Systems, Inc.) - based on Lewis Carroll's books

Zerner/Farber Tarot by Amy Zerner & Monte Farber (One Spirit, St. Martin's Press) (x2)

 

 The list includes my multiple decks, some of which are available for trade or sale.